drj

THE COCHINEAL INSECT.

1377

or

Fio. 249.

\1Y\ *

c ° c oon lts \' vo membranes become flat, and form a sort of shellc °chi tle ’/' Wuc h the eggs are inclosed, and from whence the little* soon proceed. The female only is of commercial value.‘"-Mexico .

ation. The cochineal insects feed on the Nopal (Opuntia co-

chinillifera). Mr. Ward{Mexico in 1827, vol. i.p. 84) says, the planta-tions are confined to thedistrict of La Mlsteca, inthe state of Oaxaca , inMexico . The animals aredomesticated and rearedwith the greatest care.Plantations of these arecultivated for the nourish-ment of the insects. Herethe impregnated females,e hig ,j e . are placed; this operation

s °Hie m,) n n™ lnatcd S0Wm 9 them. Young ones are soon developed; and'''Wrf-e,] n V s forwards, when the females have become fecundated andfitters -f harvest commences.. The insects are brushed off with a' ing ih . and billed by immersing them in hot water, and afterwards• ^V e e h™ ln sun ’ or by die heat of a stove.

Ir °prern lat a ^ vesls are made annually; the first being the best, since theare ec ‘ Canales alone are taken : in the second the young females? fe collg , ^ Ct ? d ’ ail< ^ * n dm third both old and young ones, and skins,^ l )c} les C indiscriminately. Before the rainy season commences,^ fe!! erv e( } • nopal plant, loaded with infant insects, are cut off andyes hov Q ,i , ln l be houses of the Mexicans, to prevent the animals being

b,

Opuntia cochinilli/era.

Cojjjj y the weather,ft dm acii- ' In 1839, the quantity of cochineal on which duty (Is.J.i* saiq tjf 8 was 489,997 lbs. In 1838, it was only 204,748 lbs.insect^’ ° n dle avera S e > one pound of cochineal contains 70,000

-Cochineal ( coccus; coccinellaj consists of the driedJjMar s ’ which are about one or two lines long, wrinkled, of an ir-as ro ’ convex on one side and flat or somewhat hollow on the

'* --- rinlitro

6r r,s—» convex ou one siue nm nay « tinae the saliva

let 1 'ey are inodorous, have 5^ tte t h ^fJ a Sevevolve an ani-^al and viplrl n dark rprl nnwdei*. In burning* y

v iol

't re(] * ‘UWUWAUUO, HUY X, £ _

- °dour n< * p c ld a dark ret i powder. In burning, they evolve anbn • ll P, slf 11 ^ ^ eave a greyish white ash. By infusion in water theytin ^ a 'rofi ow their ringed character, and even their feet, giving theJaJf^hed • c ° ! our - Both the Honduras and Vera Cmz kinds are dis-

t ,of tu° cJ 10 s ii ver and black varieties. Silver cochineal (cochinilla' ’ ^-—m-if • Vint in all the fur-

m en , - *nm me silver ana oiacx varieties. - m a ll the fur-•vr s ® °f the Spaniards) has a purplish gray c ’p; c L examined by

le aid nd f de l )ressions we °b serve a wh , lUS R Frlc cochineal [cochinilla rene-

a lens, appears like fine wool. Bla ^ ^ _..Uei. Khick. and

tow.

tb

, lr , - was, appears ime nne wool, awe* ('"'""'""'“"dish black, and'oid 0 f n Wa of the Spaniards) is r f dd '^ { iiil« sylvestregrl r Nearly so of the silvery character. “ t an d smaller,

*l\U 8yhest ™)’ consists ofW small cochineal insect^

led » globular or ovate masses, (cocoons and new

4 T